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Clearly these are people that lack any ability to think for themselves and have to refer to their old book that was created to control people. I find it sad that those people exist and actually think that anything in the bible is relevant to the world today.

Richard Dawkins refuses to debate with creationists as it gives them a validity they do not deserve, in just agreeing to debate with them.

It is time gay spokespeople like Ben also refused to do this, with dyed in the wool biblicians (my word). They will never ever ever be shifted but we just give them the chance to air their bigotry in agreeing to debate.

Sadly the BBC seems to think that if there are two opinions they must be equally valid. The beeb wouldn’t invite racists etc. on shows to express their
opinions, and it’s disgusting that they invite homophobes on. BC did a good job (as ever) but I would recommend that next time he tells the BBC that he’ll debate people with a wide range of views, but not outright bigots.

More like South Carolina. It really has a tenuous claim to being part of the UK. It is a part of the island of Ireland that was forcibly ‘seeded’ with hard line Scottish Protestants. They are terrified of being cut adrift and subsumed into the state of Ireland. Their politics are dominated by hard line fire and brimstone preachers and their families. Here on the mainland we try to pretend they don’t exist.

I’d add other comparisons, Alabama and Mississippi. The DUP would be equally comfortable sitting as members of Russia’s DUMA. Virtually identical mindset. They are an embarrassment to the rest of the UK and civilised society. What galls me is that they all get to sit in our Parliament voting against our rights as was seen in the marriage debate this year. All 8 of them voted against it and some of the vilest rhetoric coming out of their equally vile mouths.

I don’t know whether that is really true. Surely, it is just a fact that the Protestants are mainly Unionists whilst the Catholics are in the main anti-UK separatists? There a a few Catholics that want to remain in the UK and a few Protestants who want to join the Republic or have independent statehood. It isn’t really a Catholic v Protestant issue more a question of British Unionism versus Irish Nationalism.

Thankfully it is NOT part of Great Britain, just an “and Northern Ireland”. It has always been constitutionally weird and full of the most slavering of religious nutters. Britain itself has moved on socially and personally, It is about time that NI joined the rest of Great Britain and adopted the decent laws and respect for individuals that should be current in the whole of the United Kingdom.

This is why there won’t be marriage equality in NI for decades to come. As long as the religious nutter party of hate, the DUP secure a firm grip on power election after election, nothing will change. I blame the ignorance and bigotry of the electorate for voting them in which proves they are just bad as those who represent them. If only it were possible for Westminster to boot NI out of the UK altogether, but of course, not possible.

As Vincent says, I too want NI to stay part of the UK, because while we do we have leverage that UK citizens are not all equal in this part of the Union, which seeing as it is the so called Unionist parties who have yet to move on such issues is a key point to bring to them.

It’s so tragic that these anti-gay bigots think there is any clear scriptural condemnation of homosexuality, there is not.
There are various same sex acts that scripture appears to condemn usually involving religious ritual as in Romans or abusive sex as in Corinthians but nowhere does scripture clearly condemn consenting same sex relationships nor ordinary homosexuality per se.
Even the incomplete verse in Leviticus which may or may not be condemning same sex relationships between men comes in the place where wrong worship is being dealt with suggesting that ritual same sex acts (Pagan) are being condemned as wrong worship.
In fact, there is no condemnation of consenting same sex relationships in scripture at all.

Time NI was given a stark reality check. That is, they tow the line and follow the rest of the UK in matters such as equality or go it alone, i.e. kick them out of the Union. I would like to see it given to the Southern Irish State but I know they don’t want it either! Just glad I don’t have to live there myself nor would I ever set foot in that vile Province.

The Irish southern state don’t want what either ? Marriage equality or kicked out of the union (of which there not part of) ? On marriage equality 74% of the electorate support marriage equality and all major political parties bar Fine Gael back marriage equality (the only major Fine Gael figure that hasn’t publicly backed marriage equality is ends kenny). Also the republic as the 5th highest rate in europe of people not having a problem with a gay leader. I would remind people that basing their opinions on Northern Ireland solely on what the DUP say is dangerous. If your basing your assumptions on the republic on northern relays then stop being stupid they are two completely different countries.

Ireland should never have been divided. Look at the difference between the two halves of the island of Ireland. the DUP and its followers are nothing but a hate group. They should never be allowed to stand to the Assembly. Devolution for the north was a mistake. Either direct rule from the UK or union with Ireland is the only way to go.

Well done to Benjamin Cohen for taking these idiots on, on their home turf. We just need to keep up the pressure on them, reporting their bonkers contradictory views, and the message will get through eventually. All their neighbouring jurisdictions, UK (England and Wales), UK (Scotland), and the Irish Republic, are in the process of implementing full equality. The lie of these viciously discriminatory pastor-politicos, that they somehow speak for the ‘Union’ (with what? – not my country if I can help it), will be laid bare for all to see. Having said that, there are a lot of nice decent people in NI. We need them to come out strongly against this self-righteous bullying cr8p being peddled on their airways, and against bigoted religious parties like the DUP. ‘A Dark Age / By the lights of perverted science’ Churchill said of the Nazis in 1940 – see it here too.

Yep – that’s religion for you. It makes you backward, bigoted and arrogant .. all the qualities needed to make the world a better place – not. It really makes me SICK to hear views like this. But, then again, the Province has been held back for centuries by the disgusting sectarianism which still bubbles under the surface. “My god is better than your god” has always been the mantra of Northern Irelanders. They really need to stop being so insular, to sytart to think for themselves instead of being told what to think by priests and vicars, try to forget their conflicted past and drag themselves out of the 1600’s. The moldern world is a great place … if only you could open your minds – and hearts – and obey the central message of the man whose faith you allegedly follow.

As a citizen of Northern Ireland I do and can inform readers I am not alone in hating the DUP – as a party they get only one fifth of the popular vote roughly and there are many excellent politicians in Northern Ireland who have for many years campaigned on gay rights. Please do not view my home or the people here by listening only to the dinosaur bigots of the DUP.
And please never refer to my home as a “vile province” – there may be many vile people who live here and a vile history but it shows a lack of tolerance and kindness to be so rude.
Thank you.

The Assembly – has 38 DUP, 29 SF, 14 SDLP, 13 UUP, 8 Alliance who are all in the government … and 2 NI 21 and 1 Green in Opposition ….. As far as I can gather there has to be Unionist and Nationalism agreement to pass any thing …. the SF and SDLP and Alliance seem to have pro gay policies as do the Greens …. so why this homophobic agenda is anyone’s guess

rej4sl, among all those comprising The Assembly, only one among them, Mark Durkan of the SDLP voted for the Marriage Bill, speaks volumes of the homophobic agenda among the majority of them with the exception of SF. Religious bigotry is definitely at the core of it.

In spite of the bigotry of some people in Northern Ireland there is a fairly good gay scene in Belfast & I would encourage people to visit. Belfast Gay Pride is the biggest in Ireland. It’s usually held at the beginning of August & would be good for a weekend break. Belfast Bear Weekend is held at the same time & is popular.

NI is the bible belt of the UK. Having family in NI I know how powerful the church (particularly protestant) still is there. That radio segment (just like the NI MPs in the Same Sex Marriage Bill debate in the Commons earlier this year), was yet another example of how there are so many in NI that want to keep it in the time warp that existed during the Troubles. That was a religious, not political, debate by people who have no interest in Human Rights (of any kind) but will put their own selective interpretations of Bible above civil rights. I’m so glad my mother didn’t take us back there to live, god only knows what state I’d be in now if I’d been raised in that place.

I am sorry….. this isn’t news, it is the reality of politics and religion in N Ireland. It is all the more remarkable that groups like The Rainbow Project ( http://www.rainbow-project.org ) of whom I am a trustee survive, prosper and punch well above our weight, Some recognition outside of NI would be much appreciated.

What you all seem to forget in a democracy we have free speech, these people have a right too their views. In Northern Ireland it is the view of the majority and most likely the same in the Catholic south. We can not expect the all world to hold the same views. It does not make them ignorant or backwood just different. We have to learn to be more tolerant of each other. All I see on here is hate and negative comments.

“It does not make them ignorant or backwood just different.” Really? Perhaps a refresher course on the civil rights movement in America’s southland might change your mind. Or the more recent North Carolina minister arguing for the internment and death of all gay Americans. I am under no obligation to tolerate fascism in it’s original form or in the current guise of religious bigotry.

The right to freedom of speech is not the right to dictate how others should live their lives. What the majority want is not necessarily ethically right. A majority voted for Hitler and the Holocaust. Even Putin has his mandate. So, don’t be too hasty to justify your views as being those of the majority.

Sebastian these are Not the views of the majority in the republic. 74% of the electorate back same sex marriage and we have the 5th highest acceptance rate of beng ok with a gay leader. The only areas that the republic falls down on are the blood ban, voting on marriage equality (has to be done because of the constitution) and adoption which is in the process of being legislated for. As an openly gay atheist living in “catholic Ireland” I have never had any problems and the lgbt community is far more integrated into the rest of the community than in alot of other countries .

Instead of writing off Northern Ireland and abandoning our gay brothers and sisters there to the oppressive rule of the wacko religious homophobes, we should do the opposite – go there – be seen, buy services, make Belfast Pride the really big one in the UK because it is still needed as a political demo in the way that Brighton, London etc are increasingly not. No citizen in the UK or any other country for that matter should have to put up with this kind of sh&t coming from their government. NI has a long and difficult history of demands for civil rights staring in the face of bigotry. That history continues!

I have no desire to hate gays or do them harm; however, the Bible is crystal clear in Romans 1 v 26-27 when it teaches that they have been given over to this by God as a judgement.. However, they CAN be changed if they call out to God for mercy.

The Bible is also “crystal clear” on slavery, selling your daughters, murdering children, not wearing two threads at once, not cutting your hair and not eating shellfish.

So, which parts of your insane book of fairy stories are you selectively choosing to believe and follow, and how does that not make you a complete and utter hypocrite?

The world is moving on and leaving your delusional dictatorial beliefs behind, you are losing, equality and freedom is winning. While you preach on comments like this your churches hemorrhage followers and the youth are laughing in your face.

In twenty years the Catholic and Christian cults will be no more powerful than $cientology. Your religious lunatic politicians will be dead, your churches converted or crumbling, and you will no longer have any power to influence the rights and freedoms of others like the little despots you are.

I live in Northern Ireland and yes, there are a number of religious nutters who sadly hold political office in this country.

However, some of the comments posted here are frankly prejudiced against the people of Northern Ireland. Should all people in Great Britain be accused of racism because there are elected representatives from the British National Party holding political office in England? Obviously not, but it seems acceptable to accuse everyone in Northern Ireland of being sectarian and hate-filled. Double standards, methinks.

Be careful that in condemning ignorance and bigotry you do not in turn appear to be ignorant bigots yourselves.

So glad you made that point Brian….I get tired of doing it anytime Northern Ireland is mentioned on a post here. it would be nice for once if instead of bitching and disowning us (The LGBT people who live in Northern Ireland) we got more support and recognition that we are part of a much bigger community.

I can only hope that these people do not represent the on-the-ground views or reality of what ordinary people in NI actually think about homosexuality. Just goes to show that basic civilization can never be taken for granted, that leaders do not necessarily reflect or represent the majority view, and that we have a lot of work to do in Europe if we are to even think we are more progressive than Russia, India or Uganda (to name just a few of the 76 countries in the world where it is illegal to be homosexual) on gay rights. Christ help us!!!

I had a Northern Irish partner once. (I know, I know, how could I!) It was a frightful mistake. And of course it ended in tears. And that was because his head was stuffed full of absolute nonsense: religion.

There ARE some sane people in Northern Ireland. They’re not all deluded, they’re not all suffering from the mental aberration of believing in mumbo-jumbo and hocus-pocus. But, sad to say, the vast majority of them, whether Catholic of Protestant, ARE deluded.

Really, every gay man and woman in England, Wales, and Scotland needs to upsticks and settle in Northern Ireland, support our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters there, and simply rattle the religion out of Northern Ireland’s nutters!

“no credible medical institution or practitioner seriously believes that being gay is a mental illness”
Agreed, as a professional in the mental health field I regard this lay-man’s assessment as rubbish ignorami-speak. In-fact, I grow tired of the number of our species who regard their opinion, however ill-informed or ridiculous as worthy of an audience. If we ever let these closed-minded, know-nothing bigots decide on standards of mental stability, then our species is doomed. The last time I checked, the bible was not sharing a shelf with medical textbooks. I am a Christian who is ashamed of the lunatic fringe which believes that every piece of mistranslated text is sacrosanct. The human brain is a complex work of art that lies at the root of the variation of how we feel, rationalise, love, hate, move, see, hear. etc. There are many variations on a theme of NORMAL human behaviour, including same-sex attraction.

When responding to religious idiots in Northern Ireland, the better responses would be –

Marriage is based on the bible – No, It’s not. Marriage predates Christian culture. In any case although our culture is certainly influenced by Christianity we have over time learned to move on in civil society with our secular understanding of morality – to minimize the harm that we do to others. We have moved on from biblical teachings of slavery, sexism and intolerance.

We have all seen that in Northern Ireland nobody likes to have other’s religious views imposed on them. I’m sure that Mr McIlveen would be the first to object if civil law in anyway impeded his ability to practice his religious beliefs. So why should we allow religion to influence civil law, when it does harm to nobody and in no way affects anybody’s religious freedom. Religion should not even be part of the debate. Can Mr McIlveen explain how gay marriage will harm him or his parishioners?

If anything’s a mental illness, it’s this type of religion these clowns adhere to.
If one person believes he’s talking to an imaginary being, he’s labelled ‘mentally ill’ and he’s locked up, away from the rest of society.
If a million do so, we call it a religion.
And if anyone has to be chemically castrated, it should be folk like these, save humanity and cut off the poison from its stem.

NI is so controlled by religion. To me we need a commission to work out what needs to be changed in NI to bring it into the 21 Century. All of my life it has shown itself to be backward, controlled by religion and going no where. Even the USA gave up on it.
Give NI back to Southern Ireland please.

Stop bringing religion into it – I’m not religious but I have reservations about the gay lifestyle in the same way I have reservations about someone who’s a paedophile. Yes the letter is a serious crime but what about someone who argues: “I can’t help it, I’m attracted to kids”? “Love” doesn’t override everything I’m afraid!

As a gay person living in N.Ireland I am sick and tired of reading comments on here that appear to write-off everyone from N.Ireland. There is a gay community in N.Ireland that would appreciate the support of the gay communities in GB. Many gay people in GB are only too willing (and rightfully so) to protest for LGBT Russians. LGBT people in N.Ireland are UK citizens, so why are gay people in London, Brighton etc. not also protesting for LGBT people in N.Ireland? Obviously we cannot expect the support of the LGBT community in GB, if the comments on here are anything to go by. That’s incredibly disappointing and frustrating for those of us who are LGBT and living in N.Ireland.